The blower machine performs intermittent movement and generally comprises an inlet conveyor bringing in injection-molded preforms, an oven for heating the preforms, blow nozzles mounted facing molds in order to inject air into the heated preforms received in the molds, and an outlet conveyor for removing the containers. In certain machines, for reasons associated with the blow-molding method implemented, the molds are fed simultaneously with preforms in such a manner that a plurality of containers can be blown simultaneously before being removed. In such machines, the outlet conveyor may be formed for example by a comb that performs intermittent rectilinear movement of the walking beam type for the purpose of removing the containers in batches corresponding to the number of containers that are blown simultaneously.
The filling and closing machine that performs continuous movement generally comprises a container transport device that is provided with clamps for gripping the containers and that passes under filler nozzles and then under closure spindles for closing said containers.
In such installations, it often happens that the containers are advanced in the two machines at pitches that are not identical, the filling and closing machine requiring a pitch that is longer. It is therefore common practice for a temporary storage conveyor to be interposed between the two machines. The intermediate storage conveyor is bulky and expensive.